Mary
by KittyKatZorse
Summary: Fortysomething fic. Based on the 2003 comedy starring Hugh Laurie and Benedict Cumberbatch. Based on Cumberbatch's charecter Rory who meets a new volunteer at Sidestreet...
1. Chapter 1

**Not sure if anyone will ever read this, let alone review.**

**It's just an idea I came up with after watching Fortysomething (starring Hugh Laurie). I thought I might give a shot at a fic with Benedict Cumberbatch's character Rory. (Yes I'm obsessed I know) But I honestly used to watch this show when it aired back when I was like 15. **

**Anyway if anyone does read this please let me know what you think.**

...

Rory was running late.

He had spent the night arguing with Laura. He had prayed that since the previous Laura/Daniel/Lucy fiasco that would be the end of it. But things between him and Laura had been pretty awful of late.

Rory gave a tired yawn as he ambled into Sidestreet and Baz shot him a look.

"You're late," quipped the chirpy man.

Rory sighed. "I know, I know, Girlfriend is driving me mad..." he muttered, untying his scarf.

Baz raised his eyebrows. "Don't envy you there mate," he chuckled. "How was your holiday anyway?"

Rory wouldn't exactly call it a holiday. Sat at home in front of the TV with his moping girlfriend, complaining that he never took her to fancy places or bought her nice things. Rory had tried to explain that he worked for a charity and didn't want any payment, but Laura had crossed her arms and pouted, causing Rory to sigh and go out and spend his last fiver on a large bunch of flowers.

"Yeah, it was good," he lied forcing a smile and flinging his satchel down on the desk beside him.

It had of course been one of the worst weeks of his life, even including the one where he had returned home to find Laura in bed with his brother.

Rory was now back living with his parents and brothers. His and Daniel's flat share had not gone too well, especially after they had been turfed out after two months for not paying their rent on time. Rory had reminded Daniel a million times to take the cheque to the bank, but the idiot had been too lazy to do so.

"What about here?" asked Rory casually. "Been busy while I was gone?"

Baz stuffed some papers into a drawer and turned around. "Oh y'know just the usual. Mary's been good though...only started here last week."

Rory frowned, picturing this Mary character doddering about the place.

"Oh right, retired is she?" he asked hanging up his coat as Baz passed him on his way out of the office.

"No, mate, young," said Baz in his chirpy voice. "Only just graduated."

Rory rolled his eyes, following his colleague of out the door."Oh not another one," he muttered. "They come and go faster than I can learn their names."

Baz smiled and turned, throwing him a wink. "No mate, this one is definitely a keeper."

Rory frowned and shook his head as Baz walked away.

He very much doubted that what Baz said was true. He doubted she'd last into the second week.

But Rory's train of thought was cut short as he made to turn into cafeteria and walked slap bang into someone, spilling the full cups of coffee they were holding.

The figure gasped as the hot liquid sloshed all over their grey blouse and the Styrofoam cups fell to the ground.

"Oh god, I am so sorry," said Rory his eyes widening as he looked up at the figure properly.

She was young, in her early twenties, with dark blonde hair tied up in a loose ponytail.

"No, it's okay. It was my fault," she said with a smile, dabbing at her stained blouse with a napkin. "I should have been looking where I was going."

The girl smiled up at Rory as he handed her another napkin from the sideboard.

"Thanks," she muttered. "I'm Mary by the way."

Rory paused in what he was doing and stared down at her for a moment. "Y-You're Mary?" he asked astonished.

Mary smiled and nodded, holding out her hand for him to shake. "And you must be Rory right? I've heard a lot about you."

Rory's mouth curved up into a smile. Maybe this week was going to better than the last after all...

"Come on, let me find you a spare change of clothes," he said kindly, ushering the girl graduate back towards the office.

...

**Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to all who reviewed my last chapter. Again not sure if anyone out there wants to read this...**

* * *

"So how are you finding it here so far?" asked Rory passing a t-shirt from the lost and found over the cubicle door.

"Oh everyone seems lovely," he heard Mary reply. "I think it's great."

Rory almost rolled his eyes at her enthusiasm. Give it another fortnight and he doubted she would be so chirpy then.

He turned around as he heard the latch slide across and the toilet door open.

Mary walked out smiling, the oversized T-shirt they had found to replace her coffee stained blouse now neatly tucked into her skirt.

"So how long have you been working at Sidestreet?" she asked as they walked from the grotty bathrooms together.

Rory sighed. "Must be about a year now," he mused.

"But you still enjoy it, even after all this time?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Well enjoy is a strong word..." he said with a smile."But it's pretty rewarding most of the time. Helping people who are less fortunate than you."

Mary gave a sweet smile but didn't say anything as they walked back through towards the canteen spotting Baz ladling out porridge in the kitchen.

"Alright?" he said cheerily as they wandered over. "You two met then..."

Rory and Mary glanced at each other as they went to join Baz on the other side of the counter ready for the morning rush.

A long hour passed in which the homeless and destitute made their way into the soup kitchen, wolfing down the small breakfast they provided them with.

"I guess I'll get started on some of this washing up," muttered Mary looking at the dirty pans littered all around the kitchen.

She moved off with a sigh as Baz sidled up to Rory.

"So what do you think?" he asked giving him a nudge in the ribs.

Rory smiled. "Yeah she seems to fit in great..."

Baz shot him a look. "That's not what I mean," he muttered shaking his head. "I thought...well... Y'know...she's a pretty girl about the same age as you..."

Rory gave a frown. "I'm with Laura remember? Besides I've only just met her..."

Baz gave a long sigh patting Rory on the back. "Whatever you say mate..."

Rory maintained his frown as Baz walked away.

He'd only just met this girl and somehow his friend seemed to think that she was a good choice for him.

He chanced a look at her, elbow deep in washing up. Of course she was very pretty and seemed extremely nice...AND intelligent...

Rory had to stop himself, shaking himself out of it.

Stop it, he told himself. You're with Laura...and she's...nice.  
Apart from that time she cheated on you with your brother...but that's all in the past...

Rory stole one last glance over at Mary before exiting the room.

He would just avoid her, that would stop Baz and his idle gossip. Yes he would make sure he didn't spend that much time with Mary today.  
But this proved much more difficult than Rory had first imagined...

Firstly they were put in the canteen together at lunch, then as Rory had begun to mop the floor of the rec room later that afternoon Baz had sent Mary in to wipe down the tables.

At five o'clock Rory gave a huge sigh of relief and he snatched up his coat and satchel and headed for the door.

He was just about to leave when-  
"Oof!"  
He walked right into Mary. She stumbled and fell but right at the last moment Rory managed to catch her around the waist, lifting her easily back upright.

"Are you okay?" he asked as she brushed hair from her face and caught her breath.

"I'm fine," she breathed, giving him a smile as he let go of her. "We have to stop bumping into each other like this.."

Rory laughed.

Ok she was funny too.

He held the door open for her as they both made their way out onto the breezy London street.

"I'm going this way," muttered Mary.

"Me too," said Rory chuckling.

"What to the tube station?" said the young graduate frowning.

Rory nodded unable to believe his ears. Ok avoiding Mary was MUCH more difficult that he had expected. She even took the same tube as him.

The pair sidled onto the crowded tube. It was rush hour but after a few stops they both managed to find a seat opposite each other.

A few minutes passed before Rory chanced a glance in her direction.  
She was looking right back at him!  
Immediately she looked away.

Wait, was she blushing?

A soft blush seemed to have crept across her face and neck. For a few minutes she kept her head down, before her eyes flickered back up towards him.

Rory stomach lurched sharply.

Was this-?  
Was he-?

No...he'd only just met her...

Suddenly the automatic voice came over the tannoy announcing his stop.

Rory got to his feet as Mary did the same.

"Are you getting off here?" she asked curiously.

"Yeah," he said tilting his head. "I live just around the corner..."

Mary's face lit up. "I live on Channing Road, in the flats at the end."

Rory's eyes widened as he stepped through the hissing tube doors and onto the platform, Mary following him.

"Me and my brother used to rent number five. Upstairs." he said as he allowed Mary to step onto the escalator ahead of him.

She turned to look at him over her shoulder wide-eyed. "You have got to be kidding me!"

* * *

Mary explained as they walked from the tube station and up the road, that she had just moved into the flat that he and his brother had vacated only a few months prior.

She grinned at him.  
"Baz told me that we would have a lot in common."

"Oh he did, did he?" said Rory unable to stop himself from grinning back.

Only a few moments later did the pair find themselves at Mary's front gate.

"Well I'll see you tomorrow then I guess," she said shyly, toying with the keys in her hands.

Rory bit his lip his stomach churning once again.

She glanced up at him nervously. "I, er... I catch the tube at 8 if you, might...well, if you wanted to..."

"Yeah," said Rory almost immediately, taking himself by surprise.

"Okay, cool," she said with a smile. "Well see you tomorrow."

Rory gave her a wave. "Looking forward to bumping into you again."

* * *

**Please review**


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